Barrandhang Christmas

There is plenty of excitement in the air as we approach the summer festive season and borders begin to open, bringing friends and family back together.

Here at Indigenous.gov.au one of our favourite things about this time of year is the annual Christmas card competition. Each year, the winning entry is featured on the Christmas card of the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, Minister for Indigenous Australians.

The theme of this year’s competition was ‘Christmas in my community’.

The competition attracted submissions from all over Australia, some of which you can see on our online gallery. With so many great entries it was hard to choose a winner.

Congratulations go to Skye Burnes from Brungle Public School on Wiradjuri country, with her winning design titled ‘Barrandhang Christmas’.

‘When I found out that I won, I was so happy that it was mine that got chosen from all the students that had entered across Australia,’ Skye said.

‘I came up with my art ‘Barrandhang Christmas’ because we are surrounded by gum leaves on Wiradjuri country so I thought it would be a good idea to use them for my art.

‘Barrandhang is the Wiradjuri word for Koala, and they love living and eating gum leaves merrily.’

When Skye grows up she wants to be an artist and a comic book writer.

With a cohort of 12 students, one key focus at Brungle Public School is providing a culturally enriched education. Local Elders, Discovery Rangers Shane Herrington and Talea Bulger, and Wiradjuri Language instructors Aunty Winnie Bulger and Regina Russell, all provide the students with authentic learning opportunities.

‘Our strong culture connections are led by our local Elders and strong Wiradjuri women, Aunty Sony Piper and Aunty Phyllis Freeman  whom our students and teachers all love and respect and their knowledge and storytelling that they share with us is amazing,’ Skye’s teacher Brodie McDonald-Kerr said.

‘When you have students that feel proud of their creativity in their learning, they become empowered learners that want to continue to contribute their abilities across their education.’

‘It is especially important to continue to develop the empowerment felt by students in relation to their culture and how they can become confident members of their communities,’ Ms McDonald-Kerr said.

From all of us at Indigenous.gov.au, we wish you a safe and happy festive season and a prosperous new year.